The distant sound of sirens filled his ears. He checked again looking everywhere for any clue he might have left. No fingerprints. As he is wearing gloves. No trace of the phone through which he had called the police fifteen minutes earlier to report this murder. No footprints as he had covered it with a cloth. No CCTV had captured him. He had kept his distance from the only CCTV surveillance in that area. No record of him being there. No person nearby. Not a word heard neither was a scream when he had dug his knife deep inside the flesh.

The knife!

Yes, the knife. He quickly saddled beside the body lying limply and which spread wide on the floor and after picking up the knife quickly stuffed it in his backpack. All done. Time to move. As the sirens drew near, he got out of the factory from the back exit and disappeared into the thick fog of the dreamy night.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The deep humidity of the upcoming summer was making its show on their foreheads and hands which trembled; eyes widen with the intensity of the killing.

Wiping away the sweat, the constable said, "Looks like a serial killing."

"But you can't be sure of it. It does look like one. The way he had multiple attacks. Slit in the throat. Hmm... Looks serious. Either the victim had wronged the murderer somehow or he is a psychopath. What about the doctors? When are they ready?", Inspector Dillon studied the body with curiosity shimmering in his eyes.

"When we are." answered the constable.

"Very well then. Send the body immediately for postpartum. Hurry! No time to waste." Standing up and moving away from the body Dillon made his way towards the jeep. He saw Mani there. Instructing him to tell what he found out, settled his piercing gaze on him and listened.

"The factory used to work five years ago. It was a cosmetics making factory but was shut down after a massive fire almost ten months later leaving the owner in debt. He sold it about a couple of years ago to a rich businessman, who currently lives in New york. He decided to start up the business again thus the repairing work started a week earlier. Today due to the strick the work had been shut off. No workers were allowed after working hours. That's all!"

"I think the businessman's hand is clean in this. What do you make of it?" Dhillon turned to see that the constable had come to stand behind him.

"Nothing much at all but I too share your point of view. If it had been the businessman he could have done this years ago. Plus what about that anonymous phone call? Could you trace it?" He asked Paresh who joined their side with a file in hand. Mani had quietly taken his departure. Doesn't like his job perhaps. However, he had been a secret informative agent of the police for years.

"We could not trace it, Sir. However, I have found out about the victim. His name..." Paresh was interrupted by a hard stare from Dhillon forcing him to shut up. Remembering that the constable is standing there he quickly apologized and handed Dillon the blue file he had held and walked away.

"No media still now!", exclaimed another inspector, Sumit, "Shame!", as he joined the little group. "Come on, this murder is gruesome enough to attract some attention, at least."

Instructing the constable to leave, Dillon informed the newcomer about what he had found out while walking towards the jeep. "This is getting under my skin, this is the second murder in a row," Dillon said.

"Just inform it to the chief nothing to get so worked up about. Oh and tell him we have sealed the area and informed the businessman. I will join him later after making sure to interrogate every neighboring the locality." said Sumit.

Dillon noded.

Then got in the jeep and sped away to head towards the police station. He got into the police station to be informed by a constable that Senior inspector Dabayan is off duty today. He called and informed him about the murder.

******************

Four days later, all the Inspectors were congregated at the police station in the conference room. Senior Inspector Debayan was standing beside the board which consisted of a chart of the three murders taken place.

Yes, Three!

In a matter of a week, the small city of Ramyan was terrified of an unknown killer who was brutally causing deaths without any cause, constitute and each eachachacher. Even the clues were uncertain and vague.

"So Mohan, can you please repeat the minutes of the meeting", Debayan instructed while sitting down in the chair.

"So...", Mohan started, "First body was found in a dumpyard, second in a factory, and third in an open playground. The first victim's name is Manish Chowdhary, the second is Shubham Kaur and the third is Aryan Sharma. Age of the first victim is thirty five, the second person is thirty-nine and the last is thirty-two. No connections between any of the victims except their age group. No proofs were found out at the crime scene No idea if it's a murder or a serial killing. Every one of them was killed in different ways and with different weapons. Neighbors saw nothing to inform about. No fingerprints or footprints. All the three were brutally stabbed after killing them. The first one did not have any family so no clue and no ID was found. The second one had a mother who is suffering from uremia. Thus it's no use to interrogate her. The third one too was an orphan thus no family and no ID were found. No college connection. No school connection. No office connection. After interrogation, we found all three led a normal life. No bad habbits, not even cigarettes. Thus no connections can be established except the ring found near everybody. Though this connection is only made by the killer we suppose. That's all."

"And thus the meeting is over!", Debayan said faking excitement. "Damn it!" he cursed. Taking up the file in front of him he scanned over the writings 'No choking', 'No sign of struggle', 'No internal damage'.

"What about the workers of the factory?", Debayan asked.

We interrogated everyone, they all were from a nearby village. All of them knew each other. No chance that anybody could sneak in between them. Anybody would have noticed and nobody did." Paresh answered.

Debayan released a deep breath.

What did he want?

Why was he doing it? Wait a minute!

THE RING

He jumped up from the chair. A voice full of hope, he exclaimed, "Wait! There's something left. The ring seems all the same thus bought from the same place."

"But do you recognize how many jewelry shops are there in this city", answered Dillion?

"True! Yet did you think how many of them make these types of the ring? Dillon, I want you to go and check which industry manufactures them and find out the shops they had recently sent these rings too. Take their numbers and interrogate them all. Go fast and please bring me results." Dayan's voice turned sad and pleading.

"I am on it." Presenting a smile Dillon hurried to go make the list as per request.

"Meetings over you can go to continue your work said," Debayan said dismissing them.

Pressings on his eyebrows he closed his eyes. Thinking. And thinking. And thinking. Until the bell rang and its time for a lunch break.

Duh!

As if he is getting any break nowadays!

*****************

The fourth call of that week came just the next day. Subhasis, a constable had picked up the receiver which growled out in a deep, husky, and uneven voice, "Street number 17, Green villa."

The constable ran to inform Debayan about it, who bolted away out of the door and towards the jeep when he heard it. Dhillon was just after him in his jeep which was also occupied by Paresh, Mahattosh, Shera, and Arman.

The case was twirling itself into a next having no inlet or outlet trapped inside them where the police could not find any loose string to hold unto.

Seconds turned into minutes. Minutes turned into hours. Hours turned into days.

Exactly a week later two clues showed themselves from the deep dark emptiness of the case.

The first one was that relation was found between the victims. The fourth victim, Manoj Mehta used to work in a company Manish Chowdhary, the first victim did. A couple of years ago he resigned and joined a company where Shubham Kaur, the second victim worked. Both companies were a local cloth-making factory. Though the third dead body remained detached from the others.

The second clue was the rings. Police found the manufacturers and found out which shop had sold the four rings. When in the shop the shopkeeper informed that it wasn't just four rings. It was five rings.

Yes, Five!

And of course, he did not see the face of the person, as she was wearing a mask, who was a woman. A woman. Interesting indeed. There was no CCTV surveillance Thank god the shopkeeper paid attention to the blue and black colored tattoo of a bird, below which was written 'Have faith' on her hand. A picture of that tatoo was made. Undercovers were sent all over the city to find a woman with the bird tatoo, a black hoodie, and blue jeans.

However, the important subject was who can be the next person who will be killed. The criminal bought five rings that mean he is surely taking revenge. The rings are a sign of showing them that see this is what happens when you mess with me. It was surely not a serial killing as the person had already set a number of the person he is going to kill. Serial killers do not do that.

That means the police had to start investigating about the victims' life before they came here as of course their life was pretty clean in this town. They started with the home address but again, two of them were fake. One was a graveyard in Delhi and they could not find the address of the fourth one.

No other information could be found about the three people suggesting even their names were ke.

All the employees of the company the first and second victim worked were warned of an unexpected stranger. Their names were taken to verify each of them.

Meanwhile, there was no trace of the lady with the tatoo. Again when all doors seemed closed another call like a bone-chilling experience informed them of the fifth murder.

THE LAST MURDER!

Perhaps...

No one can be sure that this was the last one

**********************

The morning sky was filled with clouds resembling a storm that was about to come. The Sun sometimes peeked out from between the clouds making the eyes blurry. The birds chirped. Trees rustled when the wind went through its gaps and crevices.

However, Debayan didn't spare a look at this beauty He was tensed. That could be made out from the stilling and penetrating eyes. His furrowed brows. Twitching jaws. It could be understood that adrenaline was rushing through his veins.

He looked like a man on a mission!

That he was, indeed. His car rushed past the houses which dissolved in the background.

Coming to a halt just in front of the gates of the police station. He looked slumber and grim. He took out a small black colored remote from the pocket of his jacket which had many buttons in it. He pressed a red button at the top.

Boom!

An easplitting andnd heart-racing noise shooked the surrounding just as the police station blasted into a heap of ash- nothing.

Huge chunks of smoke rose in the air and faded higher up into the sky making it look dark and polluted.

Debanyan sped down from there to his house taking up a bag of ofhitwhitehatseady packed, two passports, and two IDs, and he heads straight to the station. There he met a woman who didn't have a tatoo on her hand. He led her to the train and was off to an unknown destination.

********************

Paresh saw the huge smoke rise, at a distance, into the air while walking his way from his house to his office. He wasted no time running towards it. But soon he realized, it was originating from the Police station which is in ruin. He raised his cell phone to call the fire bright and his senior officials.

When Dhillon and other officials reached the police station, the latter was in ruins. Not a wall stood straight and the thing which could be distinguished or was saved from the terrible fire was marked with dark grey ashes and black charcoal. Cement protruded out from the plastered wall and the furniture was half-burned and as if struggling with itself to keep attached.

The view was terrifying, yet Dhillon regained his composure and started reviewing and searching there for possible clues.

An hour later it was known that during the blast no policeman was in the station except one. Sumit. Sumit Aggarwal. One of the respected inspector. The air was filled with mourn and a certain heaviness in the atmosphere. Yet a storm was raging in Dhillon's mind.

Who could have done this?

What possible outcome did he get?

Was it a warning?

And then like a thunderstorm everything cleared.

The last murder. THE FIFTH MURDER.

But why was Sumit Aggarwal the last victim?

This was it. This was the last murder. He quickly shuffled in his pocket to reach his phone. He dialed Debayan's number. But the phone played the electronic recording that the number is out of service.

Dhillon's mind was spinning. He had the urge to throw up. He felt dizzy and nauseous. He needed to sit down.

But his mind was soon clogged just as a jeep arrived at the gate of the police station. He went towards it with wobbly legs unable to hold himself straight.

A person stepped out from the jeep dressed in police attire and a deep, husky, and a demanding voice asked him, "What the hell has happened here?" His dark eyes were fixed to the black ruins of the once glorious Police station.

"How may I help you, sir?" Dhillion asked with confusion dripping from his eyes and voice.

"And what may I call you?" the unknown person asked.

"Sir, I am Insperter Dhillon Sen"

"Nice to meet you now please tell me what happened to my station"

Dhillon's brow furrowed, " Sir I think you have mistaken but this is the police station under Senior Inspector Dabayan, I may tell you."

The person gave a throaty laugh and said, " Why can't you tell who you are talking to?" asked the person.

Dhillon replied, " I apologize for the inconvenience but can you enlighten me with your name.

His throaty laugh came out in hiccups, " Well then, I am Senior inspector Debayan Agnendu Kaur, transferred from Pulgaon to Ramyan and it was nice meeting you, Mr. Aggarwal."

Dhillon could not utter a word, he only stared.

*********************

A month has gone away since the nerve-wracking incident at the police station. A new police station was build in its place though not as marvelous as the previous one but it still stood to its glory.

"The Mysterious case of Five rings", as everybody had named this unknown case remained unsolved. Five murders occurred between the short span of two weeks then everything returned to its normal self. As no wrong have ever occurred in this cheerful town of Ramyan. As if no evil ever receded in the hearts of this small civilization claiming the lives of five individuals.

As there was no clue or lead or a possible explanation for the murders, therefore, the case was closed. Even if there was a clue left, it had been burnt by the terrible fire.

And as the misinterpretation of the individual regarding who was Debayan was declared to be a fault and an arrest warrant was issued to the unknown individual who had taken Debayans place.

The real Debayan claimed to be on a vacation of three weeks while the transfer was issued to the government. Maybe due to a delay or mismanagement, this information never reached the station of Ramyan thus Debayan was expected at the normal time of arrival. Therefore an unknown person arrived at his place and took control of the duties which was mainly deceiving.

On a Friday after lunch, Debayan was sipping coffee at his table. Dhillon entered it without making a single noise and said, "May I talk to you for a minute?"

Receiving Debayan's permission he sat down in a chair and said, "Who was it, sir?"

"Sorry......" Debayan said in a voice that indicated he did not understand what Dhillon said.

"'He', sir. He, who deceived us all. He who took your place. I known you are hiding something from us."

Debayan eyed the officer sitting in front of him thinking he rather is intelligent.

" Hmm....... Well, you caught me. I know who it was and I did help him too.

Dhillon could not hold it back anymore. He said in a rather calm voice, "How could you sir? That innocent life."

"Dhillon not all things are what it seems they are"

"Then why don't you enlighten me," Dhillon said sarcastically.

"You are an exceptional officer. Yeah, of course, I can tell you everything and I know you are not going to tell this to anybody else because you have a heart and after listening to the story that will surely melt. Just know that those five were criminals."

Dhillon was somewhat shocked. He nodded in understanding.

Debayan released a throaty laugh and started narrating the tale of the unknown.

**********************

It was rather a foggy summer day. Nothing in its nature could be considered beautiful. Megha made her way down the dirt path towards the pink-colored house.

She was a dress designer and her latest appointment was confirmed two days ago in this house. She was rather excited. The business had flourished during these days. She was indeed proud of herself.

When she reached the house she heard some laughter before pressing the bell. She put her ear against the door to hear better and in doing so the door bulged. She pressed her hand against it and opened it with the slightest touch. Noises were coming from the end of the hall. She walked towards it bypassing many rooms. When reached it she could hear someone say.

"........is fine. Don't worry!"

"How can you be so sure. We need to be careful. The police are smelling something fishy."

"Don't worry even if they are, I am going to divert them easily. Now give me the new stuff. It feels good"

" Seriously this heroine is of amazing quality. The prize is awesome believe me. Do you consider........."

Megha could not focus her ear to hear anything else. The color has drained from her face. Her feet felt numb. The mind was screaming for her to get out of there yet she could not move her body.

Somehow with a miracle, she did so and quickly started towards the front door. While passing the outer gate she saw a hole in the ground in the garden hidden behind the flowers and bushes. The hole contained two dead bodies lying side by side. Two middle-aged couples who had appointed her.

A shudder ran down her spine. She could not help the piercing scream which left her vocal cords. Noises came from the inside of the house and she regretted her quick action. She turned and ran towards her house barely seeing a thing on her way. Her brain was still recovering from the shock. She reached her house fumbled with her key went inside and locked it.

Within second big muscled hands started banging on the door. Saliva had evaporated from her mouth. She quickly ran towards her room locked the door and prayed to god. Taking out her phone she dialed her brother's number. Once. Twice. Thrice. It went straight to voicemail.

The sound of the front door-busting echoed the walls of the house. She had to think something fast. She dialed Debayan's number. He was her brother's best friend and was in the police. Even his number went to voicemail. At last, she called the police.

"Hello! How may......"

"Hello. There are drug dealers in my house. Please do something........", Megha could not finish her sentence as the cell was snatched away from her hand. That was then she realized that the person had broken into her room. Four men were staring at her with furious eyes.

******************

"What happened after?" questioned Dhillon.

"Her body was found hanging. The cause of death was choking. No sign of struggle."

"So if he was her brother, who was the woman having that tatoo"

" Yes exactly........ Mahendra was her brother who pretended to be me all these days and the woman was Megha's sister Maya. And she never did have a tattoo. It was Mahendra's idea to divert your focus so she got a fake tattoo."

Dhillon huffed a sign. 'He was indeed clever', he thought.

" He didn't need my help but well I told him how to cover all the traces and clues."

"So he was taking revenge on his sister's murder" Dhillion concluded, " What about the ring?"

"Oh it was mainly to divert the case but well there was a connection indeed. It was their family's possession, you see. It is handed over to the eldest son or daughter. Being the eldest daughter Megha got it. That's why he used identical rings to keep beside the body."

"So where is he?"

"That thing even I don't know any better than you"

" So even Sumit was with them?"

" Yes very much so"

" I can't believe this. But why"

"What why?"

"Why did you tell me?"

"Because you deserve the truth. Mahendra had told me how you had dedicated yourself to this case. He requested me to tell you the truth. He did consider you as a friend."

"But what if I tell someone this"

Dhillon was presented with a sly smile. Debayan said in a small voice, " You won't. Megha's real name was Meghna Chatterjee."

"Yes Dhillon she was YOUR GIRLFRIEND who you thought fled when you proposed"

********************